Vision Article for March

Jeffrey T. Howard
Vision Column
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
March 2009

From the Pastor’s Desk

When I was growing up Lent was something my Roman Catholics friends did. They would give up something like chocolate or ice cream and of course they would eat fish on Friday. All of these things were done to impress upon them the penitential nature of Lent. We are to give up something as a spiritual discipline.

In the medieval church Lent was a period when sinners were given an opportunity to repent and enter into the full life of the church. Lent was seen as a time of cleansing when sins were washed away in preparation for baptism or reaffirmation of baptismal vows on Easter.

Today it is doubtful that giving up candy for Lent is much of a sacrifice. Rather than giving something up, we should recapture the ancient meaning of this season by reflecting on whether or not we are leading the lives that our creator intended for us to live. Scripture teaches us that as baptized Christian we are being transformed by the Holy Spirit into the image of God. Lent is a time when we can consider if transformation is truly happening. During Lent we have ample time to consider what a holy lifestyle would look like.

So during Lent I urge you to pray and read scripture daily. Ask God to reveal to you where your lives should change. And pray that the Holy Spirit will transform you into what God wants you to be. If you do this the promise is that you will rise to new life on Easter.

Jeff